Chapter 105: The Trap

Wang Cheng felt an instinctive dread toward the path ahead and lowered his voice urgently, "Turn back! Everyone, turn back!"

The sudden halt caused those in front to collide with those behind, nearly causing one or two to fall off the cliff. A minor leader from the Black Wind Bandits shouted, "Wang Cheng! What are you doing?!"

"I said turn back. I’m not going forward," Wang Cheng replied firmly.

"What are you talking about? Everyone is already on the narrow path. You say turn back—how is that possible? Move forward, quickly!" the minor leader barked.

Wang Cheng planted his feet and refused to move. Stiffening his neck, he said, "We can’t go any further. I won’t die for nothing. If you want to go, go ahead. I’m not moving."

...

Three feathered arrows whistled through the air, striking the patrolling bandits with unerring precision—one piercing a neck, two hitting heads. All three bandits collapsed silently on the spot.

Xu Wenshan whispered to those behind, "I’ll go ahead to check the situation. If it’s safe, you can come up."

Old Tiger Lei said, "Commander, don’t risk yourself. Let me check."

Xu Wenshan trusted himself more but, seeing Old Tiger Lei’s determination, couldn’t help but laugh with a hint of frustration. "Alright, be careful."

Old Tiger Lei crouched low and crept forward, feeling his way through the grass to examine the three bodies. Finding nothing unusual, he leaned against the fence to peer inside the bandit camp.

But as he did, a sharp pain shot through his foot. He let out a soft "ah," suppressing it with great effort. Looking down, he saw his ankle caught in an iron trap designed to snare beasts.

The bandits patrolling inside heard the faint cry and called out, "Who’s there?"

Sweat beading on his forehead, Old Tiger Lei thought quickly and forced a calm voice, "Patrolling. I accidentally stepped on a stone."

The bandits couldn’t see clearly outside through the fence. "What’s there to shout about stepping on a stone? Don’t be so jumpy."

...

The bandits didn’t come to investigate, and Old Tiger Lei relaxed slightly. But the next words from inside tightened his heart: "You should enter the camp now. It’s time to change shifts."

Though anxious, Old Tiger Lei’s voice remained steady. "Oh."

Xu Wenshan and Wu Yi noticed something was wrong and crept over, catching the conversation. Xu Wenshan gave Wu Yi a meaningful look. Wu Yi immediately understood. The two each grabbed a dead bandit’s body and tossed it into the nearby grass.

Old Tiger Lei struggled to pry open the trap on his ankle. Peering into the grass, he realized these bandits were shrewd; outside the fence, many traps were set. One misstep could be fatal.

Lowering his voice, Xu Wenshan suggested, "Let’s swap into their clothes and disguise ourselves as bandits to enter."

Wu Yi was both worried and excited. "What if the patrol recognizes us?"

"No time for that now. We’ll play it by ear."

Despite his swollen ankle from the trap, Old Tiger Lei had wrapped his leg with a cloth like Xu Wenshan showed him, so he could still move. The three quietly stripped the dead bandits’ clothes and put them on. The bandits’ attire was casual, no uniform, so their quick disguises passed unnoticed. After instructing their soldiers to stay put, they boldly entered the camp.

Inside, the bandits didn’t scrutinize them closely—probably different groups unfamiliar with each other—and let them in. The trio roamed the camp without raising any suspicion.

...

"I’m not going. I won’t go. If you want to go, then go," Wang Cheng lay against the cliff, clutching a large rock with both hands, refusing to budge.

The minor leader was furious, scolding, "We’re halfway there! Why the sudden madness? You’re blocking everyone behind!"

The soldiers were silent, though many felt resentment toward Wang Cheng since they were all precariously balanced on the narrow path with danger of falling at every step.

The minor leader’s anger shifted, and he softened his tone. "This isn’t a solution. Let go first. You don’t have to go forward, but you have to let us pass."

Wang Cheng still gripped the rock tightly. "I’d rather my soldiers don’t go either."

The leader restrained his temper. "Your men are all ahead. How could you stop them all?"

Wang Cheng said, "Everyone turn back first. Once my men have retreated, you can go on."

Losing half their troops suddenly would devastate the morale of the remaining bandits. These roving bandits relied solely on boldness and courage in battle. If that spirit broke, they wouldn’t fight well. The minor leader’s fury burned hotter, and he devised a cruel plan. "Fine. Let go first. I’ll order the soldiers to turn. But spread the word slowly and carefully."

Wang Cheng released the rock. "Alright, but you—"

Before he could finish, the minor leader suddenly kicked him in the waist. Taken by surprise, Wang Cheng was sent flying off the narrow cliff path and plunged down the mountain, letting out a final shout before losing consciousness.

All the soldiers on the cliff witnessed this. The minor leader’s heart tightened—if the bandits ahead caused trouble, he’d have no control over it. So he shouted, "Everyone saw it! This man was the first to disrupt morale. I dealt with him swiftly. I advise you all to follow orders quietly. When we reach Windstone Village, there will be treasure and women waiting!"

In truth, the bandits didn’t care who led them. They were all scoundrels with no loyalty. Although their leader had died, trapped on this cliff, they had no choice but to be driven forward.

The end of the path was now in sight. Half the bandits had already passed the narrow cliff path and reached the foot of the hill. All that remained was to climb the slope, after which the road would be easier.

Suddenly, a troop appeared before the bandits, brandishing dark spears.

"Throw!"

Several stones tumbled down the hill, knocking a few bandits off the cliff.

Wide-eyed, the bandits shouted, "Ambush!"

"We’ve walked into an ambush!"